Maximum reward for minimum effort: why hiking is so healthy

By Nina C Zimmermann Sep 20, 2010, 4:06 GMT

Berlin - Hiking is a very popular activity, especially in the autumn, as it's a great way to calm the spirit and replenish your batteries, but only by going for regular walks throughout the year will you do your health good.

Rambling makes you happy, content and it balances your spirit. Regular hiking is also a great way to stay physically fit as it improves your cardiovascular system, strengthens the body's immunity and boosts metabolism. You don't need much to go walking and it's something you can easily do in your home area.

Going hiking every few weeks is too little though, according to Professor Klaus Voelker from the Sport Medicine Institute at Germany's University of Munster. 'Walking is only effective when it's done over a long period of time,' he says. 'Most people only go hiking sporadically.'

Voelker says at least two walks a week lasting between 30 and 45 minutes each are needed to show an improvement in physical health. However, most people are not prepared to invest that much time. A study by Germany's Hiking Association found that almost half the country's population over 16 years of age went trekking but that only the over 60-year-olds did so several times a month.

Voelker's advice is therefore to engage in the more 'domesticated' form of hiking: walking. He describes walking as 'forced movement' in small but regular doses. 'Every three to four weeks you can also integrate a bout of real hiking in your training program.'

Professor Ingo Froboese from the Centre for Health at the German Sport High School in Cologne agrees. A vigorous walk through town has the same beneficial effect as trekking. That's because it's bodily movement that counts and that does not require going away on holiday to the Alps. Your local region is likely to have a number of marked walking routes over flat terrain to choose from.

Voelker recommends being well prepared if you're planning on going on a full-blown hiking holiday rather than just a weekend away. Along with regular walking and Nordic Walking with poles, Voelker also advises trying out cycling or a cross-trainer. Only if your body has been sufficiently trained can it be expected to suddenly handle hilly terrain.

Strengthening the leg muscles is also good preparation. 'Strength is very important along with stamina,' says Voelker. It's also important to protect joints especially when walking down hillsides. Avoiding excessive hiking sessions is also advisable.

'Beginners should carefully plan a walking tour and keep them shorter rather than longer,' adds Froboese. Weather also plays a role. Hiking in high regions is very healthy. 'Walking at higher altitudes energises the immune system and oxygen transfer. The thin air encourages the lungs to work more.'